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Abstract:

A heating system for use with roofing shingles, the heating system
including a flexible grounding layer having a transverse dimension that
is no greater than substantially equal to a transverse dimension of the
roofing shingles, a flexible heater laminated to the flexible grounding
layer, wherein the flexible heater includes a substrate, a conductive
resistive ink pattern disposed on the substrate, wherein the ink pattern
generates heat when electricity passes through the ink pattern, wherein
the heating system includes a nailing portion that extends longitudinally
along one side of the heating system, the nailing portion of the heating
system having a transverse dimension that is at least substantially equal
to a transverse dimension of a nailing portion of the roofing shingles,
wherein the flexible heater is disposed on the flexible grounding layer
such that the ink pattern is disposed outside of the nailing portion of
the heating system.

Claims:

1. A heating system for use with roofing shingles, the heating system
comprising: a flexible grounding layer having a transverse dimension that
is no greater than substantially equal to a transverse dimension of the
roofing shingles; a flexible heater laminated to the flexible grounding
layer, wherein the flexible heater comprises: a substrate; a conductive
resistive ink pattern disposed on the substrate, wherein the ink pattern
generates heat when electricity passes through the ink pattern; wherein
the heating system includes a nailing portion that extends longitudinally
along one edge of the heating system, the nailing portion of the heating
system having a transverse dimension that is at least substantially equal
to a transverse dimension of a nailing portion of the roofing shingles;
wherein the flexible heater is disposed on the flexible grounding layer
such that the ink pattern is disposed outside of the nailing portion of
the heating system.

2. The heating system of claim 1 wherein the flexible grounding layer is
aluminum foil.

3. The heating system of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive layer
disposed on the grounding layer to bond the flexible heater to the
grounding layer.

4. The heating system of claim 3, wherein the adhesive layer is larger
than the flexible heater.

5. The heating system of claim 1 wherein the ink pattern comprises: a
pair of longitudinal stripes spaced apart from each other; and a
plurality of transverse bars spaced apart from each other and extending
between the longitudinal stripes.

6. The heating system of claim 1 further comprising: a controller
configured to control the flow of electricity to the flexible heater as a
function of at least one of: moisture level, precipitation level, and
temperature.

7. The heating system of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal dimension of
the flexible heating system is substantially larger than a longitudinal
dimension of the roofing shingles.

8. A heated roofing system comprising: a plurality of courses of shingles
disposed on a wood underlayment, the courses of shingles extending from a
bottom to a top of the roof, wherein the plurality of courses of shingles
includes a subset of heated shingles; and a continuous heating system
under each course of the subset of heated shingles, the continuous
heating system configured to provide radiant heat to a corresponding
course of shingles.

9. The heated roofing system of claim 8 wherein the continuous heating
system includes a nailing portion that corresponds to a nailing portion
of the corresponding course of shingles.

10. The heated roofing system of claim 8 wherein the subset of heated
shingles is disposed on an overhang of the roof.

11. The heated roofing system of claim 8 wherein the continuous heating
system comprises: a flexible grounding layer; and a heating element
including conductive resistive ink.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED ACTIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of, prior U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/473,472 filed Apr. 8, 2011, which is incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Typically, in the construction of homes it is important to protect
roofs from leaks due to ice and rain. Traditionally, felt paper was
secured to wooden roofs underneath shingles. The felt paper would absorb
ice or water that penetrated the shingles, preventing it from reaching
the underlying wood. Nailing the felt paper to the roof, however, caused
spaces around the nail through which water could seep. The water could
follow the nail into the wood, causing leaks in the home. To solve this
problem, water shields began to include an adhesive backing to fasten the
shield to the wood, instead of using nails. The adhesive backing includes
a peel-able strip which, when removed, exposes the adhesive layer for
affixing the water shield to the unprotected wooden roof. The top of
these water shields were made of a rubberized asphalt material, which
created a gasket effect on the shaft of the nail driven through it. These
water shields were successful in preventing many types of leaks.

[0003] In colder climates, however, ice dams can form and allow water to
penetrate or flow under the water shield. For example, an ice dam can
prevent melt-water from flowing downward off the roof, which can result
in the water seeping into the house above the ice and water shield
coverage area. Ice dams occur when snow accumulates on the roof of a
house with inadequate insulation. Heat conducted through the
insufficiently insulated roof, and warm air from the space below, warms
the roof and melts the snow on areas of the roof that are above living
spaces. It does not, however, melt the snow over cold areas, such as roof
overhangs. In these situations, melt-water from the heated areas of the
roof flows down the roof, under the blanket of snow, onto the overhang
and into the gutter, where colder conditions permit it to freeze.
Eventually, ice accumulates along the overhang and in the gutter. Snow
that melts later cannot drain properly, backs up on the roof and can
result in damaged ceilings, walls, roof structure, and insulation. To
avoid this many building codes require a water shield covering the roof
two feet into the living space.

SUMMARY

[0004] A heating system for use with roofing shingles, the heating system
including a flexible grounding layer having a transverse dimension that
is no greater than substantially equal to a transverse dimension of the
roofing shingles, a flexible heater laminated to the flexible grounding
layer, wherein the flexible heater includes a substrate, a conductive
resistive ink pattern disposed on the substrate, wherein the ink pattern
generates heat when electricity passes through the ink pattern, wherein
the heating system includes a nailing portion that extends longitudinally
along one side of the heating system, the nailing portion of the heating
system having a transverse dimension that is at least substantially equal
to a transverse dimension of a nailing portion of the roofing shingles,
wherein the flexible heater is disposed on the flexible grounding layer
such that the ink pattern is disposed outside of the nailing portion of
the heating system.

[0005] Various aspects of the invention may provide one or more of the
following capabilities. A radiant heat deicer can be provided. Radiant
heat can be provided when desired to melt ice dams and/or snow. The
amount of ice dam damage caused on a roof can be reduced. Icicles hanging
from a roof can be reduced. Roofs can be protected from water and ice
damage using radiant heat. Radiant heating can be installed along with
shingles on a roof. The power consumed by a heating system can be
reduced. Installation time of the heating system can be reduced. These
and other capabilities of the invention, along with the invention itself,
will be more fully understood after a review of the following figures,
detailed description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0006] FIG. 1 shows a wooden roof without an ice and water shield or
shingles.

[0015]FIG. 10 shows heat radiating through the snow on the wooden roof
shown in FIG. 9.

[0016] FIG. 11 is an exemplary control unit.

[0017] FIG. 12 is an exemplary process of controlling a heating system.

[0018]FIG. 13 shows an exemplary installation of a heating system on a
roof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Embodiments of the invention can provide techniques for preventing
and eliminating ice dams and snow buildup on roofs. A flexible layered
heating system includes a grounding layer and a heating layer. The
heating system can be sized such that its height is approximately the
same as a standard shingle. In this configuration, the heating layer is
only located in a bottom portion of the heating system so that when the
heating system is installed under a layer of shingles, that the shingles
can be nailed to the roof using common construction techniques without
damaging the heating layer. The heating system can be rolled out onto a
roof before a subsequent course of shingles is nailed to the roof. A
heating system can be installed under one or more courses of shingles on
a roof, as desired to melt snow and ice. The heating system can also be
controlled by an automated controller that senses temperature, moisture,
and/or precipitation. Other embodiments are within the scope of the
invention.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, a house 100 is shown with an unprotected
wooden roof 110. The wooden roof 110 includes an overhang 120 that
extends beyond a heated living area of the house 100. Overhang 120 is
typically an area where ice dams can form. Typically, the roof 110 is
covered with shingles, such as standard asphalt shingles, although other
types of shingles can be used (e.g., wood, clay, etc.).

[0021] Referring to FIGS. 2-3, a standard 3-tab shingle 200 is shown. The
shingle 200 includes a nailing portion 205, and three tabs 210. In a
typical installation, shingles 200 are applied to the roof 110 in a
series of rows called courses (e.g., 305 in FIG. 3). Typically, a starter
course of shingles is nailed to the roof 110 in such a manner that a top
215 of the shingle is even with the bottom of the roof 110 (e.g., the
first starter course of shingles is installed upside down). In some
embodiments, the tabs 210 may be cut off the starter course. A first
course is then applied on top of the starter course such that a bottom
220 of the shingle is even with the bottom of the roof 110 (e.g., the
first course can be applied directly on top of the starter course). In
order to cover the rest of the roof 110, subsequent courses of the
singles 200 are applied in a partially-overlapping manner such that the
tabs 210 of one course of shingles are placed over the nailing portion
205 of the course below it.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 4-5, an embodiment of a heater system that can
be used to prevent ice dams is shown. Heating system 405 can be a
flexible laminated continuous sheet heater that includes a ground shield
415, an adhesive layer 420, and a heater 425. The ground shield 415 can
be aluminum (e.g., aluminum foil), although other grounding materials can
be used. Preferably, the ground shield is configured such that a nail can
be hammered through it. The adhesive layer 420 is preferably construction
grade adhesive that can bond to underlayments such as plywood, ice dam
barrier, and asphalt shingles and can permanently bond the heater 425 to
the ground shield 415. In embodiments where the heater 425 is smaller
than the ground shield 415 leaving exposed adhesive 420 (e.g., as shown
in FIG. 4), the exposed adhesive can be covered by a release liner (e.g.,
poly or kraft paper 410) that can be removed before installation. The
adhesive can be used to adhere the heating system 405 to the shingles
and/or plywood roof. In one embodiment, the ground shield 415 is 0.003 to
0.005 inches thick, the adhesive layer 420 is 0.04 to 0.08 inches thick,
and the heater 425 is 0.014 inches thick. Preferably the heater 425 is
configured to operate at 6-14 watts per linear foot. Other thicknesses
and wattages are possible.

[0023] The heater 425 can be a plastic substrate on which is printed
heating element 430, although other substrates are possible (e.g.,
rubber, metal). For example, the heater 425 can be a pattern of
conductive resistive ink that generates heat as electricity passes
through it (e.g., via Joule heating). The heater 425 can include i) a
pair of longitudinal stripes 435 extending parallel to and spaced apart
from each other and ii) a plurality of bars 440 spaced apart from each
other and extending between and electrically connected to the stripes
435. In this configuration, one of the longitudinal stripes 435 can act
as a positive bus, and the other longitudinal stripe 435 can act as an
negative bus, thus causing a flow of electricity through the bars 440. An
embodiment of the heater 425 is described more fully in each of the
following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,485,297, and 4,733,059 each of which are
incorporated by reference herein. Other configurations of the heater 425
are possible. A photograph of one embodiment of the heater 425 is shown
in FIG. 6.

[0024] The spacing of the bars 440 can be configured to cause
substantially uniform heating. For example, the width of each bar 440 can
be greater than the space between adjacent bars, and the space between
bars 440 can be less than an inch, preferably in the range of about 1/8''
to 1''. The widths of the heating bars is typically in the range of about
1/8'' to about 2'', preferably about 1/4'' to 1/2'', although other
widths are possible. Other pattern designs for the arrangement of the
heater 425 are possible, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,485,297, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0025] The heater 425 can also contains electrodes connected to copper
strips extending from an end of the longitudinal stripes 435. Generally,
as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,297, the electrodes can provide an
electrical connection between the heater 425 and a control unit, which
can be, in turn, connected to a power source.

[0026] The heating system 405 can be approximately the same height as a
standard asphalt shingle (e.g., 131/4 inches), although other sizes are
possible. The heating system 425 can be divided into two portions: a
heater portion 445 and a nailing portion 450. The heating system 405 can
be configured such that the nailing portion 450 is the top half of the
heating system 405, and the heater portion 445 is the bottom half of the
heating system 405 (e.g., above and below line 455). The heating system
405 can be configured such that the heater portion 445 is approximately
the same size as the tabs 210 of the shingle 215, and the nailing portion
450 is approximately the same size as the nailing portion 205 of the
shingle 215.

[0027] The heater 425 of the heating system 405 can be configured in
various manners. For example, the plastic substrate of the heater 425 can
be approximately the same size as the conductive pattern printed
thereupon (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4), or the plastic substrate can be
much larger providing additional surface area to install the heating
system 405. To the extent that the plastic substrate is sized such that
it extends into the nailing portion 450 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 7),
preferably the conductive pattern printed thereupon does not extend into
the nailing portion 450.

[0028] The heating system 405 can be installed on a roof such that it
melts snow and ice that accumulates on the roof. Referring to FIG. 8,
preferably one of the heating system 405 is installed for each course of
shingles 215 that is installed on the roof. The heating system 405 is
preferably installed under each corresponding course of shingle. The
heating system 405 can be installed on only the first few courses (e.g.,
where ice dams a likely to form), or can be applied on the entire roof.
The heating system 405 can also be sized such that it can be placed in
each course of the peaks and valleys that are found in complicated roof
designs. In another embodiment, the heating system 405 can be large
enough to cover multiple courses (e.g., with alternating heating and
nailing portions). In this embodiment, the heating system 405 can be
placed directly on the roof, rather than under each course of shingles.
In another embodiment, the heating system 405 can also be placed in other
locations such as the point above an exterior and/or interior wall.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 9, snow 900 covers the roof of house 100.
Directly beneath the snow 900 is weather resistance protective covering,
such the shingles 200. As discussed above, below each course of shingles
is the heating system 405. It is worth noting that snow 900 covers both
overhang 120, as well as areas of the roof extending inwardly from the
overhang to above the heated living areas of house 100.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 10, radiant heat 1005 provided by heating system
405 can be seen radiating upwards up through snow 900. Radiant heat 1005
heats the area above the heating system 405, which includes the area
above overhang 120. Preferably, the heating system 405 (made up of
multiple courses, if desired) extends from the edge of overhang 120 up
the pitch of the roof to a portion above the heated living areas of home
100 (typically 2' into the heated living space). Radiant heat 1005
therefore melts snow 900, while also preventing melt-water from the top
of the roof from re-freezing on or near overhang 120.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 11, the heating system 405 can be controlled by
control unit 1100. The control unit 1100 is preferably installed in an
area of house 100 not exposed to the elements, and is electrically
connected to the heating system 405. The control unit 1100 can be
connected to the heating system 405, a thermostat/sensor 1110, a
moisture/precipitation sensor 1115, and a power source 1120. The
thermostat/sensor 1110 can be part of the control unit 1100, or can be a
separate unit that connects to the control unit 1100. In addition, while
shown separately, the thermostat/sensor 1110 and moisture/precipitation
sensor 1115 can be combined in a single sensor unit. Preferably, the
thermostat/sensor 1110 and moisture/precipitation sensor 1115 are
installed at the coldest area around the gutter of the house, in a place
that is not subject to direct sunlight to ensure that when the
moisture/precipitation sensor 1115 is dry, the entire gutter area is dry.
In this position, thermostat/sensor 1110 can also determine the ambient
air temperature. Control unit 1100 can use information from
thermostat/sensor 1110 and moisture/precipitation sensor 1115 to make a
determination as to whether power should be supplied to the heating
system 405. While the moisture/precipitation sensor 1115 is described as
being a combined sensor, another configuration is a sensor that only
detects moisture or only detects precipitation.

[0032] In operation, referring to FIG. 12, with further reference to FIGS.
1-11, a process 1200 for controlling the heating system 405 using the
control unit 1100 includes the stages shown. The process 1200, however,
is exemplary only and not limiting. The process 1200 may be altered,
e.g., by having stages added, changed, removed, or rearranged. The
process 1200 can be i) continuously run so that the heating system 405 is
always ready, ii) run at specified intervals (e.g., every 20 minutes),
and iii) at the direction of an operator.

[0033] At stage 1205, the control unit 1100 measures outside air
temperature. This can be done by measuring the ambient temperature with
thermostat/sensor 1110.

[0034] At stage 1210, the control unit 1100 then determines whether the
ambient temperature is at or below a predetermined threshold. For
example, the control unit can determine if the temperature is at or below
32 degrees Fahrenheit. In other embodiments, the temperature can be set a
few degrees higher than freezing, such as 35 degrees Fahrenheit. If the
temperature is at or below the predetermined threshold, the process 1200
continues to stage 1215, otherwise the process 1200 continues to stage
1205.

[0035] At stage 1215/1220, the control unit 1100 uses
moisture/precipitation sensor 1115 to determine if the sensed moisture
and/or precipitation level is at or above a predetermined threshold. If
the moisture and/or precipitation level is above the threshold, the
process 1200 continues to stage 1225, otherwise the process continues to
stage 1205

[0036] At stage 1225, the control unit 1200 activates the heating system
405 by supplying power from power source 1120. The control unit 1200
preferably keeps the heating system 405 activated until the precipitation
and/or moisture level falls below the predetermined threshold, and/or the
temperature exceeds the predetermined threshold. The control unit 1200
can also be configured to activate the heating system 405 for a
predetermined time period (e.g., 2 hours) after the temperature and
moisture/precipitation thresholds are triggered.

[0037] The process 1200, vis-a-vis the two-step determination of
temperature and moisture/precipitation, can reduce the amount of power
consumed by the heating system 405 to prevent the formation of ice dams.
If the temperature is above the freezing point in step 1210, e.g., 50
degrees Fahrenheit, then there is little concern that snow or melt-water
will freeze at overhang 120, forming an ice dam. Therefore, the
continuous sheet heater does not need to be operated. Turning the sheet
heater on or off can be accomplished by simply providing power to the
heating system 405 or preventing power from being supplied to the heating
system 405, in accordance with the sensed conditions as described above.
Further, if the temperature is determined to be at or below 35° F.
in step 1210, no ice or water will freeze to form an ice dam, if no
precipitation and/or moisture is detected in step 1220. Accordingly,
heating system 405 should not be active. In the event that the
temperature is at or below the freezing point and moisture is detected,
than the formation of an ice dam is possible. To prevent the formation of
the ice dam, the heating system 405 can be activated by control unit
1100.

[0038] The process 1200 and the controller 1100 are preferably configured
to operate without any intervention by a user. For example, a homeowner
can configure the controller 1100 once, and can the controller 1100 can
preferably function without any further input by the homeowner.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 13, an exemplary installation of the heating
system 405 is shown. For example, the heating system 405 can be installed
on top of standard ice and water shield using adhesive and/or nails
before the starter course of shingles is applied. Subsequent courses of
the heating system can then be installed as desired.

[0040] Other embodiments are within the scope and spirit of the invention.
For example, while the foregoing description has focused on the heating
system 405 being used to prevent/remove ice dams, the heating system 405
can also be configured to melt snow off of an entire roof (e.g., when
snow weight is a concern). In addition, instead of using the process
1200, the heating system 405 can be controlled manually.

[0041] The subject matter described herein can be implemented in digital
electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware,
including the structural means disclosed in this specification and
structural equivalents thereof, or in combinations of them. The subject
matter described herein can be implemented as one or more computer
program products, such as one or more computer programs tangibly embodied
in an information carrier (e.g., in a machine-readable storage device),
or embodied in a propagated signal, for execution by, or to control the
operation of, data processing apparatus (e.g., a programmable processor,
a computer, or multiple computers). A computer program (also known as a
program, software, software application, or code) can be written in any
form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted
languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone
program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for
use in a computing environment. A computer program does not necessarily
correspond to a file. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that
holds other programs or data, in a single file dedicated to the program
in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one
or more modules, sub-programs, or portions of code). A computer program
can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers
at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a
communication network.

[0042] The processes and logic flows described in this specification,
including the method steps of the subject matter described herein, can be
performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more
computer programs to perform functions of the subject matter described
herein by operating on input data and generating output. The processes
and logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus of the subject
matter described herein can be implemented as, special purpose logic
circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC
(application-specific integrated circuit).

[0043] Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program
include, by way of example, both general and special purpose
microprocessors, and any one or more processor of any kind of digital
computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from
a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential
elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one
or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a
computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data
from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for
storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks.
Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions
and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of
example semiconductor memory devices, (e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash
memory devices); magnetic disks, (e.g., internal hard disks or removable
disks); magneto-optical disks; and optical disks (e.g., CD and DVD
disks). The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or
incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

[0044] To provide for interaction with a user, the subject matter
described herein can be implemented on a computer having a display
device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display)
monitor, for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a
pointing device, (e.g., a mouse or a trackball), by which the user can
provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to
provide for interaction with a user as well. For example, feedback
provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, (e.g., visual
feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback), and input from the
user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile
input.

[0045] The subject matter described herein can be implemented in a
computing system that includes a back-end component (e.g., a data
server), a middleware component (e.g., an application server), or a
front-end component (e.g., a client computer having a graphical user
interface or a web browser through which a user can interact with an
implementation of the subject matter described herein), or any
combination of such back-end, middleware, and front-end components. The
components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of
digital data communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples of
communication networks include a local area network ("LAN") and a wide
area network ("WAN"), e.g., the Internet.

[0046] It is noted that one or more references are incorporated herein. To
the extent that any of the incorporated material is inconsistent with the
present disclosure, the present disclosure shall control. Furthermore, to
the extent necessary, material incorporated by reference herein should be
disregarded if necessary to preserve the validity of the claims.

[0047] To the extent certain functionality or components "can" or "may" be
performed or included, respectively, the identified functionality or
components are not necessarily required in all embodiments, and can be
omitted from certain embodiments of the invention.

[0048] Further, while the description above refers to the invention, the
description may include more than one invention.